Wiper mechanism for windshields and the like



Nov. 17, 1931. J. BORNSTEIN WIPER MECHANISM FOR WINDSHIELDS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 21, 1929 5 SheetsSheet WIPER MECHANISM FOR WINDSHIELDS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 21, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 x x T x x jkiewjori Nov. 17, 1931.

J. BQRNSTEIN WIPER MECHANISM FOR WI NDSHIELDS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 21,

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Filed Aug. 21, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 17, 1931.

WIPER MECHANISM FOR WINDSHIELDS AND THE LIKE J. BORNSTEIN Nov. 17, 1931.

WIPER MECHANISM FOR WINDSHIELDS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 21. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nmn'lY, rear nearest:

nears ere.

JQSE'PH BOE'NSTEIN, OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO LOUIS BORNSTEIN, F

QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS WIPER MEoHAnIsm FOR wrNnsHIELDs ND THE LIKE Application filed August 21, 1929. Serial no. 387,539.

My invention relates to wiper or cleaning each of which is provided upon its exterior mechanisms for Windshields, windows and wi h recesses for holding anti-friction balls 7 the like, and it has for its object to improve which bear against longitudinal run-wavs the construction thereof and to provide 21- within the section 1 so that each carriage is 5 mechanism of this class which will be of simfree to be moved back and forth longitudiple, eficient and inexpensiveconstruction. nally within the latter.

To these ends I have provided a mecha- Each carrier 6 extends laterally through nism of the class described having the pethe longitudinal slot 2 to the exterior or the culiar features of construction and mode of section 1 where it has fastened to it the stem 10 operation set forth in the following deScriP- 8 of a wiper element 9, the latter bearing tion, the several novel features of the invenagainst the outer surface of the glass 10 of tion being particularly pointed out and dethe windshield, asusual. lined in the claims at theclose thereof. Within the tubular section 1 is fixed a rec In the accon panying drawings 1-- tangular frame 11 whose opposite side bars 15 Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in are made with longitudinally disposed section, of he upper portion of a windshield grooves 12 upon the inner sides thereof with having applied thereto a wiper or cleaning in which is slidably mounted a rack member. mechanism constructed in accordance with 13 movable longitudinally and transversely my invention. Within the tubular section 1'.

c Figure 2 1s a section on llne 2-2 of Fig. 1. This rack member 13 is provided upon its Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1. bottom side and at its middle with a longi- Figure 4 is a front elevation, partlyin sectudinal row of'teeth in the form of studs or tion, of the upper portion of a windshield pins 14 constituting a rackto-co-operate with having applied thereto a wiper or cleaning a pinion 15 provided at the upper end of the mechanism embodying another form of my armature shaft 16 of a motor 17. invention. Q The motor 17 is fixed in position within a Figure 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4. housing 18 wl'iichin turn is fastened to the Figure 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. l. under side of the tubular section 1 approxi- Figure 7 illustrates a modification of the mately midway of the length thereof. 1

30 form or type of mechanism shown in Figs.4 The body of the rack member 13 is aflat to ('3, inclusive. plate mounted at its opposite sides'within the Figures 8, 9 and 10 illustrate a further grooveslQ and said plateis made of'a width modification, Fig. 9 being a section on line which is less than the distance between the 99 of Fig. 8 and Fig. 10 being a section on bottoms of the grooves 12, and the difference line 1010 of Fig. 8. between the width of the body of the rack Figure 11 is a modification heremafter'demember 13 and the distance between the botscribed. toms of said slots is approximately the same The form of my invention illustrated in as the pitch diameter. of the. pinion 15. It Figs. 1, 2 and 3 includes a frame comprising will thus be clear that the rack-member 13 40 a main tubular horizontally disposed sheet can be positioned within its supporting frame metal section 1 of the cross sectional shape 11 so that the rack ofteeth 14 can pass the shown in Fig. 2. said section being made upon pinion 15 at one side or the other of the its rear side with a longitudinal slot 2 extendlatter. I p

N ing the full length thereof. I The body plate of the rack member '13 is At its opposite ends the main section 1 is made of a length that is slightly less than one provided with apertured bracket arms 3, 3 half of the length of the interior of .the

that are fastened by screws 4: to the frame 5 frame 11. i of a windshield or the like. Within the rectangular frame 11, and at Within the tubular main section 1 of the each end thereof is slidably arranged an frame are arranged two wiper carriers 6. 6, abutment plate 19' that is'yieldingly; held I against stops 20 by a spring 21. These stops 20 are shoulders provided on frame 11.

When the motor 17 is in operation the rotation of pinion 15 acts through the rack pins l t to move the. rack member 13 longitudinally until the axis of said pinion is directly opposite the pin 14 at one end of the row as shown in Fig. 3. 'As the rack member comes into this position its advance or forward end engages the spring pressed abutment 19 adjacent said advance end, and as the pinion 15 continues to rotate it acts to swing said endmost pin around the axis of the pinion and armature shaft/15 so as to shift that end of the rack member 13 from one side of the rectangular frame 11 into posi tion against the opposite side thereof, whereupon .the direction of movement of said member is reversed.

When the rack member 13 reaches the limit of its movement in this opposite direction its leading or advance end cooperates with the other abutment member 19 while pinion 15 effects the lateral adjustment of t the opposite or rear end of the rack member whercbv its motionis asgain reversed.

It will'thus be clear that as the plnion 15 is rotated continuously in one direction it operates through the rack teeth 14: and in.

conjunction withthe abutments 19 to reciprocate the rack member 13 and to alternately adjust the opposite ends of the rack member sidewise without the assistance of cam tracks or the like, thereby to continuously reciprocate the rack member. 7

Each carrier 6 is made upon its under side with a transverselydisposed groove 22 that is occupied by the upper end of a stud or pin 23 provided on the rack member 13. It will therefore be clear that as said rack member is reciprocated as described the carriers 6 and Wipers9 are moved with it.

It ,will be clear that the wiper elements are supported wholly by the carriers 6 which in turn are movably supported on theframe of the apparatus, and that the only strains or stresses imposed upon the rack member 1.3 are those occasioned by the pressure longi tudinally of the studs pins 28 against the sides of the grooves 22, and therefore there is no tendency for the rack member 13 to bind ,or crampin its ways.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 a single wiper carrier (is is employed. to which the stem 8 of a single wiper element 9 is fastened. This carrier 6a 15 mounted w1th1n a tubular frame section "1a which may be connected with the frame of the windshield or the like after the manner described in connection with the frame sec tion 1.

Within the f 'ame section 1a is fixed or ar ranged a rectangular frame 11a having depending end walls 24 constructed with bearings for a continuously driven worm shaft 25 that is in engagement with a worm wheel 26 fast on a small vertical shaft 27 journaled in bearings on the carrier 6a. At its upper end the shaft 27 is made wit-h a pinion 28 that is in engagement with a rack consisting of a row of pins 14a projecting downwardly from a floating plate or rack member 13a that is slidably mounted to move laterally, but not end wise, in grooves 12a provided upon the inner sides of the side bars of a rectangular frame 11a fixed in position within frame section 1a. At its opposite ends the plate or rack member 13a is more or less rounded as shown in Fig. 5 and is in abutting engagement with the inner sides of the end bars of frame 11a.

The worm shaft 25 may be continuously driven by an electric motor or in any other suitable fashion and as it rotates it acts through the worm wheel 26 and shaft 27 to rotate the pinion 28 so that the latter traverses the rack 14a. As the carrier 6a reaches tl e end of its movement in either direction it engages astop 30 on rectangular frame 1164 which positively stops the carrier in a position where the pinion 28 is slightly beyond but still in engagement with the adjacent endmost pin 14a whereupon said pin is swung laterally so as to shift that end of plate 13a to the opposite side of frame 11a thereby disposing the pinion upon the opposite side of the row of pins.

vT he pinion then starts traveling in the opposite direction along the opposite side of the rack and as it moves along this opposite side of the rack and reaches the limit of its movement in this reverse direction the carrier 6a comes into engagement with another stop 30 at the opposite end. of frame 1.1a and that end of the rack plate13a is again shifted laterally to again dispose the said pinion on the opposite side of the row of pins as will be understood. In this way the carrier 64 is con tinuously reciprocated within the frame section 1a thus moving the wiper 9 back and forth across the glass of the windshield.

Fig. 7 illustrates a modification of the type of wiper mechanism shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 wherein the rack plate 136! is disposed vertically and the other parts of the mechanism positioned to accord therewith. The operation of this form of the invention is the same as described in connection with Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive, illustrate another form of my invention wherein. the wiper element 9a is a horizontally disposed blade e2:- tending across the front of the windshield glass 10 and pivotally mounted upon a shaft 31 supported at its opposite ends by two vertical rack members 130, said ends being formed with pinions 32 engaging the pins 140 of the racks. v

The rack member 1864 at he left of the windshield, as viewed from the front, is slid ably mounted within arectangular frame 11a so as to be movable sidewise; but not end wise, therein and this rectangular frame is fixed in position within a fixed-verticallydisposed tubular frame section 33'fastenediby screws 4-to the frame 5 of the windshield.

The rack member 13a at the oppositeside of the windshield is slidably confined within another vertically disposed frame section 34 so as to be movable sidewise5 but notendwise, therein, said frame section being likewise fastened by screws4 to the. frame 5 of. the

windshield. I

Fixedlymounted on the shaft 31 within the frame section 33 is a spiral gear 35 that stud 42 to co-operate with a fixed cam track 39 provided on the inner adjacent side of the frame section 34, said pin or stud sliding along the inner face 40 of said track during. the downward movement of thewiper element thereby to hold said element in wiping engagement with the glass 10,- and along the outer face 41 during the upward movementof the wiper element thereby to hold; said wiping element out of engagement with the glass. 7

The upper end portion of the inner face 40 of the track 39-is made as a cam surface 43 while the lower end portionof theouter face 41 of said track is made as a canisurface 44.

The shaft 37 is continuously driven in-any suitable manner so as to rotate the horizontal shaft 31 continuously in the-direction of'the arrow, Fig. 9, thereby causing the pinions 32 to travel along the two rows of rack pins 14a, said pinions moving down one side of each row and up the opposite side thereof.

As the two pinions reach the lower ends of their racks the yoke 38 comes to rest against a stop 45 and at the same time the opposite end of the shaft 31 comes to rest against another stop 46 on frame section 34. When the descent of the shaft 31 is thus arrested the continued rotation of the two pinions 32 shifts the lower ends of the two rack members 13a sidewise thereby disposing said pinions upon the opposite sides of the two rows of pins so that said pinions climb the two racks upon the outer sides of the rows of pins. Upon reaching the tops of the racks the yoke 38 is brought to rest against a stop 47 while the opposite end of the shaft 31 is brought to rest at the same time against a stop 48 on frame section 34. Continued rotation of the pinions with the parts in these positions swings the upper. ends ofthe two rack members-13a sidewise so as to dispose the pinions upon lthe'opposite or rear sides of the rows of pins again whereupon said pinions start upon their downward travel;

During the downward movement of the wiper element the engagement of the stud or pin 42 with the face 40 of track 39 holds said elementin a flexed condition against the glass 10 andunder tensionso that upon reaching a engagement with the glass 10 until; the stud or pin passes the upper end of said track which occurs .just as said wiper element reaches-the limit of its upward movement. Assoon as the wiper element starts downwardly the stud or pin 42 rides on to the cam surface 43of the track thereby swinging the wiper'eleinentpinto positionagainst the glass 10 where it is held bytrack 39 throughout the downward travelthereof.

Thus the operation. ofthisform of myinvention is characterized by a one-way downward wiping action of thewiper element which leaves all water, snow or the like at the bottom ofthe windshield.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 11 thefram'eof the mechanism includes a tubular section 1?) made at its bottom with a longitudinalslot 2a, said frame section being rigidl'y fastened at its opposite ends to the frame of the windshield as before. The wiper carrier 6?) is a strap extending aroundthesection 15 and formed upon its interior with pockets each holding. an anti-friction ball 7a which. has roll ng'engagement with the exterior ofathe tubular section 1?).

The oppositeends of the strap 6?) are bolted to the top 49 of a-motor housing 50 within which is secured an electric motor 51. The armature shaft 52 of motor 51 is disposed vertically and extends upwardly through the head 49 into theinterior of the frame section lb where it is-made with a pinion 157) engaging the pins 14a of a rack member 1311 mounted as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 so as to be adjustable sidewise but not longitudinally. The wiper element 9 of: this mechanism has its stem or shank 8 fastened tothe motor housing 50.

51, and wiper element 9 move back and forth with the pinion 15b.

Within thehousing section 1b and fixed to,

'butinsulated from,vone side wall thereof, is a ice trolley rail 53 extending the full lengthfof the rack of pins 14a and a spring contact member 54 mounted upon, but insulated from, the head 49 at all times engages the trolley rail 53. The trolley rail and the contact referred to arein circuit with the motor 9, said rail being connected at one end with an electrical supply while the contact 54 is conn-ected by a conductor, not shown, with one terminal of the motor 51, the other terminal of said motor being grounded on the frame of the mechanism. In this way electric power is supplied continuously to the motor 51 through rail 53 and contact 54.

What I claim is 1. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a fixed frame; a reciprocatory wiper carrier independently mounted on said frame and guided by the latter so as to be movable bodily back and forth thereon in a longitudinal rectilinear path; a wiper element connected with said carrier; a rack member slidably mounted on said frame; a pinion member continuously rotated in one direction and alternately engaging the opposite sides of said rack member to reciprocate one of said two members longitudinally, and a connection between said carrier and said reciprocated member through which the latter actuates said carrier.

2. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a fixed frame; a reciprocatory wiper carrier independently mounted on said frame and guided by the latter so as to be movable bodily back and forth thereon in a longitudinal rect linear path; a wiper element connected with saidcarrier; a rack slide mounted on said frame with provision for sidewise movement only; a pinion member continuously rotated in one direction and alternately traversing the opposite sides of said rack slide so as to travel back and forth longitudinally of said frame, and a connection between said carrier and said pinion through which said pinion moves said carrier with it.

3. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a fixed frame; a wiper element; a rack on said frame; a pinion member continuously rotated in one direction and alternately traversing the opposite sides of said rack so as to travel back and forth longi tudinally of said frame, and a connection between said carrier and said pinion through which said pinion moves said wiper element lengthwise of said frame as it traverses said rack.

4:. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a fixed frame; a wiper carrier movably supported by said frame; a

wiper element on said carrier; a toothed rack member slidably supported by said frame so as to be movable thereon sidewise only relatively to said carrier and frame toa limited extent, and a pinioniengaging the teeth of said rack member and continuously rotated in one direction so as to traverse said teeth upon a circumjacent path thereby to reciprocate said carrier and wiper element.

5. In a windshield wiper, in combination, a frame; a toothed wheel member that is continuously rotated in one direction; an endless rack of teeth on said frame that is traversed by said toothed wheel member to shift one of said members bodily thereby to cause it to travel around the other member; means for guiding the bodily movable member in its travel around said other member; awiper carrier independently and movably supported by said frame and reciprocated on a rectilinear path by said bodily movable memher, and a wiper element on said carrier.

6. In a windshield wiper, in combination, a frame; a toothed wheel member on said frame that is continuously rotated in one direction; a rack on said frame that is traversed by said toothed wheel member to cause one of said members to travel bodily around the other member; means for guiding said bodily movable member in its travel around said other member; a wiper carrier independently mounted on said frame so that it is movable back and forth on a rectilinear path; means connecting said'bodily movable member with said wiper carrier through which the latter is reciprocated by said bodily movable member.

7 In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a fixed frame; a rack plate slidably mounted on said frame so as to be movable thereon sidewise to a limited extent but not endwise; a pinion engaging the teeth of said rack plate and continuously rotated in onedirection so as to traverse said teeth upon a circumjacent path, a wiper element and means through which said wiper element is actuated by the bodily movement of said pinion.

Signed by me at Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, this 17th of August, 1929.

JOSEPH BORNSTEIN. 

